What do immunisation and vaccination mean?
Sometimes people can think that immunisation and vaccination mean the same thing, but they are a bit different:
- Vaccination: is when you get a vaccine, often given as an injection
- Immunisation: describes what happens in your body after vaccination when your body learns to fight off disease and becomes protected.
A vaccine-preventable disease is an illness that a vaccine can stop you from getting, or make it much less serious if you do get it.
Lung disease and immunisation
Vaccine-preventable infections can make lung diseases much worse. If you have a lung disease, getting vaccinated is a proven way to protect yourself. Keeping vaccinations up to date is a key part of living well with a lung disease.
The vaccines recommended for you might be different depending on which type of lung disease you have. It’s always best to chat with your healthcare team about what’s right for you.
Our checklist resources for bronchiectasis and COPD each have a reminder about vaccinations in them that you can refer to.
Immunisation and respiratory infections
Respiratory infections that vaccines protect against include:
The right vaccines for you depend on things like your age, your health, and if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. These things, and which state or territory you live in, can also change how much vaccinations cost. Your doctor or local pharmacy can tell you which vaccines are best for you and how to get them.
Our immunisation advocacy
At Lung Foundation Australia, we focus on ensuring adults can get vaccinations more easily – other groups do great work focused on vaccination for children. We especially want to help people living with lung disease get the vaccines they need.
In 2024, we wrote a report about vaccination based on what we learned from a survey of over 3,000 Australians. In this report, you can learn more about vaccinations in Australia and read our recommendations. We also have a position statement that shares our ideas on how the government can help more people get vaccinated in Australia.
Helpful links
News
Influenza set to soar to new heights in 2025 – but it doesn’t have to
First Nations communities urged to get free flu shots now
Australians urged not to be complacent with annual COVID-19 vaccination
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